Can-opener.



. .16 ii; 1 2 8 I I l I P. 0. WILSON.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1912.

1,081,645. Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

FRED C. WILSON, OF PALOUSE, WASHINGTON.

CAN-OPENER.

Application filed September 5, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

Serial No. 718,765.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED G..W1LsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palouse, in the county of "Whitman, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention is directed to improvements in can openers and has for its object to provide a device of this character so constructed that the top of the can may be rapidly out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opener having a new and novel form of holder adapted to hold the can while the cutting mechanism is being operated.

With these and other objects in View, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing it in place upon a can. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view on line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. (3 is a detail perspective view of the knife.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair of curved jaws, which terminate in handles 3 and 4 respectively, said handles being pivotally connected at their points of crossing. The jaws l and 2 are held normally in closed position by the coil spring 5 which is arranged between the handles 3 and 4. Mounted upon the upper surface of the aw 1, and arranged in spaced relation is a pair of threaded posts 6 which are adapted to engage the slots 7 formed in the extensions 8, said extensions terminating at their inner ends in uprights 9 which in turn terminate in converging arms 10, the meeting ends of which are formed with a bearing 11 and in which is rotatably supported a vertical shaft 12. Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 12 is a beveled gear 13 adapted to mesh with a similar gear 14 fixed to the inner end of the horizontally disposed shaft 15, said shaft being supported in suitable brackets 16 mounted upon one of the arms 10. The shaft 15 is provided with hand crank 17 which is operable to impart rotary movement to the gear 14 and thus the shaft 12. The lower end of the shaft 12 is pointed, as at 18, and fixed to said shaft above the pointed end thereof is a hub 19 of the wheel 20. One of the spokes 21 of the wheel 20 is provided with a slot 22 through which is passed a clamping bolt 23, said clamping bolt being also passed through a perforation 24 formed in the bar 25, said bar having one of its ends provided with acutting blade 26 and its other end with a projection 27 adapted to engage in the slot 22 so that the bar is permitted to be adjusted longitudinally of the spoke, but is prevented from turning thereon. From this construction it will be seen that to open a can it is only necessary to clamp the jaws 1 and 2 upon the can and place the point in the center of the top, where upon operation of the gear 14 rotary movement will be imparted to the shaft 12 and thus the wheel 20, thereby completely severing the top from the can.

By providing the jaws 1 and 2 the same may be adjusted to fit cans of different sizes, and to center the shaft 18 it is only necessary to manipulate the winged nuts 7 carried by the posts so that the arms 10 may be so adjusted relative to the top of the can that the point will engage the center of the cover.

lVhat is claimed is A can opener comprising a pair of jaws adapted to clamp around the upper end of a can, one of said jaws having posts rising therefrom, extensions having slots for adjustably engaging said posts, means engaging said posts for holding the extensions in adjusted positions, said extensions terminating in uprights which in turn terminate in convergingly arranged arms, a bearing formed in the meeting ends of said arms, a shaft mounted in the bearing and having its lower end provided with a point to engage a can top upon adjustment of said extensions, a gear fixed to the upper end of said shaft, a second gear meshing with the same, a crank for rotating the last named gear, -21 Wheel fixed t0 the lower end of the shaft, a cutting blade adjustably mounted upon one of the spokes of said Wheel for severing the can top When rotary movement is imparted to said Wheel through the said gears.

ture, in presence of two witnesses.

FRED WILS'ON. Witnesses;

J. DAVIS, E. E. INGALLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 'five cents each, :by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signa- 

